This application is a division of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/026,974, filed Feb. 6, 2008 and titled “Endwall Overhang”, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
This invention relates in general to construction of buildings. More specifically, the invention relates to construction of endwall overhangs for buildings.
Endwall overhangs are common on many types of buildings, and extend the length of the roof of a building some distance beyond the walls of the underlying building. Like eaves, endwall overhangs may provide both aesthetic appeal and keep water run-off at least a nominal distance from the building's walls. Water that falls near the walls may, over time, damage the walls and/or base of the building.
Endwall overhangs may be constructed by making a roof longer than the underlying building so it overhangs the endwalls, and then reinforcing the overhang by adding structure underneath. This type of construction may be problematic. For example, adding the reinforcing structure may force builders to work in uncomfortable or inefficient positions such as from elevated positions underneath the overhang. Further, it may be more difficult to use standard-size building materials for both the roof and the walls if one must be wider than the other. Such construction methods may therefore be expensive and time consuming.
Embodiments of the present invention may provide solutions to these and other issues.